There are loads of different motorized sliders out there. Big ones, small ones, complex ones, you name it. And yet, the guys at Smart View Intl’ thought that something is still missing. That’s why they’re introducing the Smartta SliderMini, a seemingly versatile and easy-to-use motorized slider for everyday use.
The Smartta SliderMini really is, just as its name suggests, mini. But it seems to be very capable, too. It’s app controlled, or, if you wish, by the press of a hardware button on the unit itself. It can carry up to 15kg (33 lbs), it fits into your pocket and the built-in 1500mAh Li battery lasts for about 48 hours. Sounds decent!
Smartta SliderMini
The company behind the SliderMini, Smart View, was just established recently and its first brand name is Smartta. Their social media pages went live around June 2018 and their first product, the SliderMini, is being heavily featured there. Since we at cinema5D are very into clever filmmaking tools which makes our lives (and daily jobs) easier, a review unit was requested (which will arrive soon!). So say tuned for a full-fledged review following this first look.
The SliderMini is just 26,2 cm (10.3″) in length and the resulting maximum camera travel is only 20,3 cm (8″) but I can tell you from experience that these 20 cm will make a difference! I used to own a giant 2 m (almost 80″) motorized silder so that thing was huge! And heavy! As a result, I barely used it on set and if I did, the actual camera travel almost never exeeded 50 cm.. I sold it in the end. So, 20 cm might not be a lot but in order to get that cinematic movement into your shot, it’s more than enough, most of the time.
The good thing is, this tiny slider can live in your bag all the time and you won’t even notice it. And if you need it, it’s right there. The max load capacity depends on the incline of your given shot. Pulling off a flat movement with a camera up to 15kg (33 lbs) isn’t a problem, and that’s quite the payload! For more angeled shots, the load capacity decreases drastically, but, and that’s pretty cool, you still can pull off a vertical slide with a light (1kg / 2.2lbs) camera package.
The whole unit consists of CNC machined aluminum with some stainless steel parts. In terms of speed the SliderMini is capable of very slow moves (6 µm/micrometer per second) up to its maximum speed of 1 cm/0.4″ per second. The slider just weights about 0,6 kg (1.25 lbs).
Controlling the SliderMini
The unit can be controlled in two ways, basically. If you’re a minimalist you can control the slider with nothing but a small button on the unit itself. Basic A/B moves and timelapses can be configured that way. For more advanced features you’ll need the Android/iOS app which connects via low-energy Bluetooth.
Programmed moves can be repeated, different timelapse modes can be loaded/tweaked/stored and moves can be transformed into stop-motion moves. The app seems to be pretty non-nerdy and easy-to-use. The beauty of such apps is their future-proofness: Features can be added over time, custom moves can be stored for later use and the slider will stay away from obsolescence a little longer.
A 3/8″ thread for mounting the slider on a tripod is located on the bottom of the unit, a camera (or smartphone holder) can be mounted via 3/8″ or 1/4″ screw to the top of the sliding carriage.
Pricing and Availability
We’re approaching the twist of this story. Although the company claims that
after a comprehensive research on motorized camera sliders in the market, SMART VIEW
found that most products were too expensive, bulky, complex and not user-friendly,
there’s no pricepoint defined for the SliderMini, yet. Instead, the Smartta SliderMini will be the subject of an imminent Indigogo crowdfunding campaign. If you’re interested, you can join a waitlist over at ismartta.com in order to receive a limited 50% off (!) discount once the campaign has launched.
UPDATE: The campaign is now live and the pricing looks interesting, indeed: Early Bird: $199 (that’s the aforementioned 50% off), regular campaign price: $259, MSRP once the campaign is over: $399.
Since other solutions seemed to be too expensive for the creators, this quite low price point is really impressive! For reference, the well-established Edelkrone SliderOne PRO is about $700. So this SliderMini is less than half the price but, to be fair, Edelkrone is a long-term innovater in the market while Smart view is a relatively fresh startup.
Links: ismartta.com | Indiegogo campaign page
What do you think of this new slider? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Apple has just launched refreshed MacBook Pros and that’s great news! But for us filmmakers this is not the only great news for today: Blackmagic Design has teamed up with Apple in order to create an external powerhouse for the aforementioned MacBook Pro: The Blackmagic eGPU combines a Radeon Pro 580 graphics processing unit alongside with a full-featured Thunderbolt 3 dock.
The new Blackmagic eGPU. image credit: Blackmagic Design
Over the years the number of ports on the popular Apple Macbook Pro has been drastically reduced. Now, in 2018, we’re down to 4 USB-C ports and 1 headphone jack. That’s it. So adding a capable dock to your virtual shopping bag became somewhat mandatory in order to really exploit the machine’s full potential. That’s the one thing quite a few professionals mutter about. The other thing is graphics.
The GPU of a given computer can’t be potent enough for creative work such as editing, FX work, color grading, RAW processing and so on. Blackmagic Design and Apple obviously listened and created the Blackmagic eGPU. An external GPU plus the kind of dock you need when there’s some serious work to be done in the field.
Blackmagic eGPU
Hot on the heels of today’s new MacBook Pro lineup comes the Blackmagic eGPU, a companion for that computer (or any other Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports). It sports a Radeon Pro 580 with 8GB RAM. That’s not the fastest graphics board but that way the whole unit can be operated pretty much silent. According to Blackmagic it emits only around 18db of noise. Usability first, raw power second. What good is an extremely powerful eGPU if you can’t use it near a desk without additional sound insulation?
image credit: Blackmagic Design
The Blackmagic eGPU is even capable of driving the LG UltraFine 5K display natively, just plug into one of the USB-C type Thunderbolt 3 ports and of you go. The other TB3 port is for connecting your MacBook Pro and then you still have 4 USB 3 ports left. Furthermore, the eGPU provides up to 85W of power for your MacBook. An HDMI 2.0 connection (supports 4K output) is also included.
image credit: Blackmagic Design
Starting with MacOS 10.13.4, users can benefit from external eGPU devices. And if you happen to be a DaVinci Resolve user, you might know that additional GPUs will make your workflow fly. Grading on a single screen with “just” a Macbook Pro powering your creative work can become a little bit cumbersome over time, especially if you use the new features of DaVinci 15, namely Fusion FX. So being able to hook up another (bigger) screen, a dedicated GPU and some extra connectivity is a good thing, indeed.
Features & Performance
What is a new gadget without benchmarks? So here we go: according to both companies the Blackmagic eGPU outperforms the bare Macbook Pros by quite a bit when using it with DaVinci Resolve:
Performance of a Macbook Pro 13″ with and without the Blackmagic eGPU. Image credit: Blackmagic Design
These numbers are not validated by real-life users in real-life work environments, sure, but it looks pretty impressive.. If you happen to use a more powerful 15″ version, the performance multiplier shrinks a little bit but it’s still impressive to see how DaVinci Resolve benefits from an extra GPU.
Performance of a Macbook Pro 15″ with and without the Blackmagic eGPU. Image credit: Blackmagic Design
The Blackmagic eGPU is light enough to carry it around with you yet powerful enough to improve your workflow while out and about. The unit weights 4,5 kg (9.9 lbs) and the reason for that is the massive power supply which not only powers the unit itself but is capable of powering your Macbook Pro at full speed plus your devices as well. The eGPU measures 17,7 cm x 29,5cm (7″ x 11.6″) and it comes with a power cord and a 0.5m Thunderbolt 3 USB-C cable.
In order to put this thing to work you’ll need a recent Mac running macOS 10.13.5 or later. This includes MacBook Pro computers from the 2016 model year and later, 2017 iMac and iMac Pro. Although the Blackmagic eGPU is not limited to work with Mac computers Blackmagic Design does not recommend using it with Thunderbolt 3 equipped Windows machines unless vendors have updated their systems. So for now, this is Mac only.
image credit: Blackmagic Design
All you need is a Thunderbolt 3 capable computer, Thunderbolt 2 won’t do as it doesn’t provide enough throughput for decent eGPU performance. The whole 40Gbit/s of Thunderbolt 3 is needed, really.
DaVinci Resolve and Others
This machine is obviously tailored for using it with Blackmagic’s own DaVinci Resolve (see the benchmarks above). You even can use multiple Blackmagic eGPU devices in order to really accelerate your workflow. Blackmagic doesn’t recommend to daisy-chain eGPU, though. So you should use one eGPU per USB-C port only. Although DaVinci Resolve might be the main target for this device, VR artists and hardcore gamer also benefit from additional graphical power.
image credit: Blackmagic Design
The one downside worth mentioning is the inability to upgrade the built-in Radeon Pro 580 GPU down the road. Due to the thermal and acoustic design of this unit you can’t swap GPUs. That’s fine for now but what about 5 years in the future?
Pricing and Availability
The Blackmagic eGPU is $699 and it’s available exclusively through the Apple store for now.
Links: Blackmagic Design | Apple (eGPU) | Apple (new MacBook Pros)
It seems that we’re heading into a multi-device future here. Just bring your MacBook pro for light work, or, if some heavy lifting is required, bring the laptop plus this Blackmagic eGPU in order to get a fully fledged rig while working in the field.
What do you think about this new performance gadget? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

In case you have an upcoming shoot and you want to up your game in terms of fancy car to car cinematography, this is for you! The Hydra Arm is a modular russian arm system which mounts to any car and it only costs a fraction of a matte-black turbocharged SUV equipped with a russian arm plus crew.
The Hydra Arm comes with everything you need. Just add any car with a metal roof, a gimbal system like the DJI Ronin 2, Movi Pro or XL and a camera, of course.
Hydra Arm
We ran into this russian arm device on the showfloor of this years’ NAB and we couldn’t resist asking Aaron Stephenson from Hydra Arm everything about it. It’s actually super cool to have a modular system like this and mount it to any car. Sure, the results may not be 100% on a par with fully fledged russian arm systems but the footage you can see in the video looks very promising! We have to wait for the final product, I assume. The Hydra arm is an actively stabilized system (in contrary to the passively stabilized RigWheels Slingshot, for example) and it is mouted to the car via suction cups. This active stabilization is really a unique feature for a car-mounted crane system in this price range.
We still have to wait a little longer to actually play with this Hydra since it’s still a prototype but the guys behind it have gathered a lot of feedback here at NAB 2018. They claim that the final product will be ready by the end of the year and it will cost just under $50,000.
This pricepoint makes the Hydra Arm accessible for both rental houses and owner/operators which is really a novelty in this high-end segment of the market. Aaron claims that the whole system can be set up by a team of 2 in just 30 minutes. I’d like to add a few minutes but it’s still a very impressive figure!
The sytem is controlled via a mimic system and the whole setup can be controlled by one single operator. I’m wondering if one operator just for the jib and one for the gimbal itself would be better / safer? But that maybe an option, too.
The maximum payload is 55lbs (25kg), which includes gimbal and camera package. Again, this is still under developement but it already looks really cool! Let’s wait and see what the final Hydra Arm will look like by the end of this year. We’ll keep you updated, of course!
Is it Dangerous?
There’s something on my mind, though: Normally you would rent a highly professional crew for this kind of shoots. They bring their own car equipped with a Russian Arm which they know inside out. They know which permissions you’ll need, they know the risks, they know about the possibilities and impossibilities. They know about physics and how the arm behaves in certain situations. And they are super expensive.
What happens if everybody can rent such a device? Isn’t it.. dangerous? I think a trained tech is absolutely mandatory for this kind of shoots! Which is why the guys behind the Hydra Arm are establishing a certification program.
Links: Website
Did you ever used such a device before? Would you like to rent (or buy) one if you could? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Cult favorite cart manufacturer Inovativ has announced a new flagship line of carts. The Inovativ Apollo is a new heavy duty, portable camera cart offering up to 40% more strength over previous models.
Inovativ Apollo 40 with/without drawers
Inovativ has been around for some time, gaining status as the go-to for owner-operator camera carts.
Their existing range offers high customizable camera carts that hold a distinct advantage over other manufactures in that they can pack down into an extremely low profile.
The newly announced Inovativ Apollo takes a stride closer to build over portability – boasting figures like 40% stronger, with 14% thicker verticals, 56% thicker shelves.
The result is two length models, 40 and 52 both with a 1200lbs (544kg) weight capacity. The models reside either side of a typical Magliner senior length (around 50”).
You’d expect such an increase in build comes less portability, in weight terms that’s about right – the Inovativ Apollo 40 and 52 weigh as light as 102 lbs. and 115lbs respectively, meaning neither with a standard airline (this is one of the advantages of the smaller Scout line).
Yet both still pack down to the thickness of both shelves – fantastic for local travel.
What’s new over the existing lines?
One side of the top shelf now folds down; great for if you’re using your cart as a DIT station and need prolonged desktop access.
The aforementioned strengthened verticals now sit much closer to the corners of the cart, maximizing shelf space.
Mast accessories (such as posts for lights/Movi dock/monitors) will stem from inside the posts, meaning a much stronger mate with the cart – anyone who has used the mast accessories on existing Inovativ carts will know their weight limitations.
Having accessories stem from the posts also means the sides are much less cluttered.
Speaking of sides, the opposing long length has optional cheese plates with ¼” 20 and 3/8” threaded arrays, these are great for wireless links, cable tidies etc..
The clasps for when collapsed are also much refined and moved to the short sides of the carts, there’s also a new optional draw design
Dimensions for the Inovativ Apollo 40 and 52
Apollo 40
– Collapsed: 40″H x 26″W x 7.5″L
– Assembled: 40″H x 26″W x 40″L
– Weight: 102lbs. (With EVO Wheels) / 112 lbs. (With NXT Wheels)
Apollo 52
– Collapsed: 52″H x 26″W x 7.5″L
– Assembled: 52″H x 26″W x 40″L
– Weight: 115lbs. (With EVO Wheels) / 125 lbs. (With NXT Wheels)
Inovativ Apollo 52 EVO and NXT
Like existing lines, the Inovativ Apollo will be available in EVO and NXT. The former is the flagship, all in-house design for quick release wheels. The NXT are more off-the shelf, 30% heavier and are therefore cheaper.
It sounds as if these will ship early summer 2018, pricings starting at $3100.

Filmmakers are always demanding fast, reliable and portable storage solutions for their projects. G-Technology has just revealed its approach to tackle this in the form of the new G-Speed Shuttle. Its smaller size and flexible design might just be what you’re looking for.
The new G-Speed Shuttle is only about half the size and weight of the former XL version. You can choose between either four hard drive enclosures or a mix of two HDDs and two EV Series bay adapters for plugging in portable EV Series SSDs or one of the available card reader modules.
G-Technology G-Speed Shuttle
The G-Speed Shuttle XL is a pretty impressive device. The question is: do you really need a giant 8-bay RAID with up to 96GB worth of storage while on a job? While the answer might be “yes” if you’re a professional DIT, I don’t really know if the rest of us could call that giant box “portable”.
G-Speed Shuttle (left) vs. G-Speed Shuttle XL (right)
G-Technology probably came to the same conclusion, as it has now announced a smaller version. Doing away with four bays from the XL and about half its height, the result is a more compact and lightweight form factor: the G-Speed Shuttle is 26.7 cm high and weighs 7.3 kg (16 lbs), a lot less than the 39.9 cm (15.7″) and 14.5 kg (32 lbs) of the XL version.
Watch the video below for a full introduction:
The G-Speed Shuttle seems to be much more portable than its XL sibling, while still offering the same features. It comes with RAID 5 enabled as standard (RAID 0 when choosing the EV bay adapter version) but also supports hardware RAID levels 1 and 10. Head over to Wikipedia for a quick refresher on RAID levels. The Shuttle can take either four full-size HDDs with a total capacity of up to 48TB, or a mix of two HDDs and two EV Series bay adapters. With these you can add different card readers to the G-Speed Shuttle, such as for RED MINI-MAGs or CFast 2.0.
You could also add a bay for the EV Series SSDs – that way you can have it all: a 2-bay RAID, a portable drive and a card reader of choice, all in one neat package. Import footage through the card reader right there on set. Copy the files over to both the RAID and the SSD and you’re all set. The SSD can rush into post, the RAID will hold a safe backup and the card reader is ready for the next media flying in.
Specifications
In its 4-bay HDD configuration, the G-Speed Shuttle can hold up to 48TB of storage using four identical 12TB 7200RPM drives, offering transfer speeds of up to 1ooo MB/s. When opting for the EV Series bay adapter version, the maximum capacity drops to 24TB, again with 12TB HDDs, and transfer speeds drop to up to 500MB/s. Either way, the unit is equipped with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, ready for daisy chaining.
That’s a lot of speed, making it possible to edit multiple 4K streams or even 8K on your laptop in the field. The unit itself offers a portable design with a built-in handgrip on top, so your next trip to a remote location won’t be that bad – although you still need a power outlet of some sort…
links: G-Technology
Do you think this smaller version might find its way onto your desk? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The new Kickstarter campaign for the Blind Spot Gear Tile Light Duo kit sees the light drop in price by half!
Blind Spot Gear is a five-person company out of Glasgow, Scotland. They recently entered the crowded market of portable LED panels with the Tile Light, which you may remember from this episode of cinema5D Essentials, where we demonstrated how to get more out of your portable light.
The company has taken some customer feedback into account, and is now offering a complete lighting kit at a more attractive price. While the original price of the Tile Light was launched at £445/$590, the new Tile Light Duo will include two Tile Lights with their respective accessories, as well as two soft boxes for an Earlybird price of £475 (€529 / $625), effectively slashing the individual price by half. The kit even includes a slim-profile, purpose-built EVA case, so you get even more bang for your buck.
Although a two-light kit like this is not a comprehensive lighting solution by any means, it does provide a good starting point, as well as help keep thing small and compact – a plus for any one-person crew.
The Kickstarter campaign for the Blind Spot Gear Tile Light Duo is open from today, with the product’s shipping date expected to be in February 2018. Check out the pre-order campaign HERE.
Have you tried the Tile Light yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

The Came-TV RGBDT panels feature an array of different coloured LEDS to achieve high CRI at any setting. They come in 20W, 75W and 150W models.
The name may be a bit of a tongue twister, but there is actually a logic behind all those letters. As David from Came-TV explains, although RGB LED panels offer great flexibility in creating combinations of colours between red, green and blue, the CRI – or Colour Rendition Index – can drop drastically when trying to dial in a Daylight or Tungsten color temperature.
The technology implemented in the Came TV RGBDT fixtures incorporates Daylight and Tungsten LEDs into the RGB array in order to maintain a high CRI across all hues. The models presented at IBC were prototypes of the final product, so the extreme ends of the colour temperature from Tungsten to Daylight haven’t been established just yet.
The Came TV RGBDT fixtures feature quite a slim body, with two knobs at the back that allow you to control colour temperature and brightness. A set of buttons lets you select the individual red, green and blue channels, which are controlled by a single knob. The lights offer the user visual feedback on the current settings via an on-board display.
In terms of power, the little 20W model can take a couple of Sony NP-F style batteries in addition to DC. Powering the 75W and 150W on the go requires moving up to V-lock batteries, with the larger of the two models needing two batteries simultaneously due to its larger power draw. Of course, both larger models also take DC power.
A very nice touch is the inclusion of magnetic barn doors that snap onto the Came TV RGBDT panels very easily, making setup changes on set that much quicker.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any pricing information available just yet, but you should be able to purchase these light fixtures from around November time. For more information, visit Came-TV.com
Are you interested in the RGB LED panel craze? Could the Came-TV RGBDT make it into your buy list? Let us know in the comments!

The 9.Solutions Mini C-Pan Arm is a compact and portable solution for achieving versatile camera movements with small cameras.
The 9.Solutions Mini C-Pan Arm is a shrunk-down version of the manufacturer’s original C-Pan Arm, a very large contraption that doesn’t seem very portable at all due to its use of heavy counter weights. A folded length of 400mm and a total weight of 1.5kg of the Mini means the this new version promises to be much more aimed towards the traveller photographer or videographer working with small cameras.
With a design that is somewhat reminiscent of the Edelkrone Wing, the 9.Solutions Mini C-Pan Arm allows you to make smooth slide shots without the need for rails or a carriage. Its design also allows for curved shots, both in the horizontal and the vertical axis – though the latter requires a ball head or other tiltable camera mount. The Mini C-Pan Arm can achieve a camera travel of up to 700mm, and can take a payload of up to 5kg horizontally or 3kg vertically. You can check out some test shots in the video below.
The 9.Solutions Mini C-Pan Arm is available now from the links below.
Are you on the lookout for a portable solution to achieve dynamic camera movements without too much hassle? Could the 9.Solutions Mini C-Pan Arm fit the bill? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Subscribe to the cinema5D + Music Vine newsletters& get 6 tracks and licenses for commercial online projects* from musicvine.com.

Your e-mail will be stored with cinema5D and Music Vine. You can unsubscribe from our newsletters at any time. We will not share your information with a third party.The licenses included in this promotion will provide Web coverage for Music Vine´s Promotional, Branded, Advert license with a project budget up to $15k.